When I vote for the All-Star team every season, I vote for the players that truly deserve to make it to the Midsummer Classic. But most people have a different mindset. The All-Star game has become a popularity contest, not a game that features the game’s best players. Hence the reason that Derek Jeter has essentially won the shortstop vote once again by a landslide despite the fact that he isn’t even top-5 in the AL in shortstop WAR produced thus far in 2012.

Every year, the manager of both leagues will tend to take a few of his players. That’s the way it’s always been. And chances are that the Royals will have a few representatives of their own considering that the game is being played in their home park. There is also the rule that every team must have at least one representative.

So, here’s my list. I mostly used WAR to determine the team. You may agree or disagree with what I have here but remember that this actually has a little logic behind it. I tried to put together a team that has put up the best numbers yet may also appeal to a normal fan that is only familiar with the big names.

After taking over an hour to thoroughly research everything FanGraphs has to offer, this is what I have decided on. There were some big time snubs left off the list, namely Cabrera, Hernandez, Sabathia, and Darvish, who would have made the team had the rule of every team must have a representative not been in order. Some surprises from this list include the Red Sox having just one representative in Ortiz and the AL West having as many representatives as the AL East. Overall, I like this list and I think it would make for an interesting ballgame. Let me know what you think in the comments.

It is time for Wedge to start playing the youth of the team more often

When the Mariners hired Eric Wedge in the winter of 2010, I had to say that I liked the move. Wedge had turned Cleveland from a young and inexperienced ball club into a playoff contender in just a matter of years. He is now the head of another young and inexperienced team in Seattle, and I have to question his decision making.

Twelve of the twenty-five players currently rostered are twenty-six years of age or younger. John Sickels of Minor League Baseball said prior to the season that Seattle had the fourth best minor league system in the game, and with the progression of arms Danny Hultzen and Taijuan Walker, the team is about to get even younger. Even with this plethora of youth on the major league roster and more talent on the way, Eric Wedge is still insistent on playing the struggling veterans.

One issue is Wedge’s infatuation with catcher Miguel Olivo. While there is good reason to have Olivo on the roster because of his ability to call a good game and occasional glimpses of power, he should be used as a back-up or in a platoon role at best. Everytime he steps up to the plate, you might as well hand the opposing team free outs – his 56 wRC+ and 13.5 K/BB ratio are certainly not of much help to the club. While he has thrown out 13 of 38 runners, good for 34% of all runners, Jesus Montero has thrown out 6 of 27 runners, good for 29% of all runners, while contributing much more to the team with the bat (99 wRC+, which is essentially league average). John Jaso, in limited playing time, has produced twice as much WAR as Olivo while managing to post a 123 wRC+ with .358 OBP and a BB% higher than his K%-it would seem to make a lot more sense to let Jaso stick around as the starter and give Olivo the boot to the bench.

A glaring issue on this team is Chone Figgins. Fans are clamoring for his release with good reason-in the past two seasons, he has posted -2.1 WAR, good for the worst in baseball over that time span. Yet, Figgins still continues to collect his annual $9 million pay check while being of negative value to the club. While I’m sure the front office understands that he is a lost cause, I am under the impression that they are looking for a team willing to take on even the slightest amount of cash remaining on his mammoth contract that he inked in 2009. Figgins’ seemingly automatic strikeouts (25% K%) are wearing on fans and it’s time to take action and release him as soon as possible.

Figgins has been of negative value since joining the ball club in 2009

Another developing problem is Ichiro Suzuki, who has meant so much to this team and the city of Seattle over his eleven year playing career, but his age is slowly but surely becoming a hurdle. Two years ago a .300+ batting average with 200+ hits was just expected out of Ichiro. Those days are now behind us. This year he’s posted a .255 average with an 80 wRC+ to date, simply not getting the job done. His skills on the base paths and gold glove caliber defense are still assets to the team, but on the same token this level of play is no longer worthy of receiving everyday playing time; he has played in sixty-seven of seventy games thus far. With Franklin Gutierrez returning, it is assumed that Michael Saunders will switch to a fourth outfielder role, while he is deserving of much more after posting 2 WAR and swinging a hot stick. I’m alright with Ichiro getting regular playing time, but not at the expense of young players that are actually contributing when given the chance.

As a wrap, this team has many flaws and it’s essential that Eric Wedge, Jack Zduriencik and crew do their part to correct these things in order to maximize the teams’ production and get fans to the ballpark. I like Eric Wedge and I would hate for the team to have to fire its eighteenth manager in its thirty-five year history, but it’s time for him to step up his game.

The Minnesota Twins recently won the bid for switch hitting middle infielder, Tsuyoshi Nishioka. And for many Twins fans, this is a welcome, albeit, unusual surprise. But there it is. All they have to do is sign him, which, should be fairly affordable, seeing as how the the high bid for him was right around 5 million dollars. Now what does this mean for Twins fans?

It means a variety of things. It means that the team has more money than initially thought, it means that the team is likely to keep JJ

The Twins recently won the bid for switch hitting middle infielder, Tsuyoshi Nishioka

Hardy, and it means that Orlando Hudson will not be coming back. The Twins are about to have the best defensive infield in baseball, if Nishioka’s glove is all it’s made out to be. And it is made out to be excellent. It also means that for fans that are clamoring for someone to replace Denard Span in the lead off spot may get what they want.

If Yoshi (which is what Twins fans have already decided to call him) has a downside, it is his injury history. He’s battled injuries to his neck, wrist, knee, and hamstring. While those injuries are not necessarily Carl Pavano circa 2005-2008esque, they are concerning for a team that has a catcher with his own injury troubles. But looking at the back of Nishioka’s baseball card, the injuries seem to be more annoying than dangerous. Over the last 6 seasons, Nishioka has played in a career low 115 games, which is 30 games missed. But just this last season, he played in 144 games, which is the whole NPB season. He did not miss an inning all season long. If last season is anything to look at, he seems to have gotten past the injuries and seems ready to play.

But what about Yoshi Nishioka as a player? Well, he is a lead off hitter, and he appears to be a very good one. He’s a career .293 hitter, who just won his first batting title with an average of .346. He posses the same swing as his countryman, Gold Medalist, and two time

Nishioka posses the same swing as his countryman, Gold Medalist, and two time teammate, Ichiro Suzuki.

teammate, Ichiro Suzuki. He also led his league with 206 hits, and 287 total bases. He’ll also steal bases. He has two stolen base crowns. 41 and 33 in 2005 and 2006, respectively. In 2010, he stole a 22. He got on base at a clip of .423, which would’ve been second in MLB, right behind NL MVP, Joey Votto.

It seems that the main concern with Nishioka, apart from the injuries is the potential and likely drop off. Which what they said about Ichiro Suzuki. And while I’m not saying that Nishioka is the next Ichiro, I think that Yoshi Nishioka could very easily be the next best thing.